Orchids for windowsill lighting
 

I'm looking to step up from Phals to something else and would like suggestions. I have pretty bright conditions with east, south and west exposure. My Phals seem happy but I know that they dont require as much light as most orchids seem to need. I cant provide high humidity levels either (at least this time of year). I tend to like the larger plants but any suggestions are welcome for a beginner looking to step it up! Thanks, Chris

I tend to like Oncidium - type orchids. Many of them can get quite large in size quite quickly, and bloom regularly. Onc. Sharry Baby is extremely nice, and is scented too. I have all of mine in a south-facing window, and have very low humidity as well.

Hi, also the entire rest of the Oncidium alliance, including Ada, Baptistonia, Brassia, Comparettia, Gomesa, Ionopsis, Lemboglossum, Lockhartia, Miltonia, Miltoniopsis, Odontoglossum, Oncidium, Osmoglossum, Psychopsis, Rodriguesia, Psygmorchis, Rossioglossum, Tolumnia, Trichopilia and their Hybrids, are generally as easy to grow as Phals, with a very wide variety of blossoms to choose from. Many of them have just delightful scents which fill the room during daytime. And windowsills suit many of them well.

I like paphiopedilums. They have an exotic look to them and will grow under the same conditions as phals.

I'm also a mainly Phal person just now, and am wanting to try something different.

I started with a Dendrobium Phalenopsis last summer. It likes a bit more light than my Phals but otherwise has about the same conditions as them (and it's doing well and growing a new cane just now). I'm growing it on my brightest windowledge which is not particularly high light levels, just a bit more than the phals.

I'm planning to get a Paph this year. I've been told they need similar conditions to Phals and I love the look of them.

Hello Cabo,
I also am a windowsill grower, at least I still am. Due to the large plants I'm running out of place which get's me (and the plants) in problems during the darker times of the year. This means I have to 'upgrade' to something else' before next winter.**

** Lack of space in front of the window, to less light for all the plants!

I don't know your climate, but here Oncidium Alliance likes it even more than the warmer growing Phal's en Dendrobium Phal types. Also Paphiopedilum thrives under mine condition, 'though I only have one Paph, so it might be too early to say Paph's do well on *my* windowsill.
In fact I held my Paph a bit back from the south window this winter and it seems fine.

I little warning for growing larger plants in your windowsill. When it got colder and started to freeze here, I had one Oncidium Sweet Sugar, which had some cold damage on a leaf, probably form touching the window (despite the window was insulated, double glass window). My windowsill would be too cold for Phal's during the winter, not during the day but during the nightly hours when the heating is turned down or lower, they would 'freeze'.

My Oncidium Alliance seems to cope very well with the lower humidity in the window sill. When it was freezing -10 F and Humidity as low as 32 % they stayed fine.

If you like them big and have lots of light you should try a Cym. They do need LOTS of light to bloom but those suckers get BIG.

Thanks to everyone. I did get a big Cym "milk tea" and it seems happy. Also a small Catt. fiery (eva x oro bay) How often do catt's bloom?

I find Oncs. WAY easier than Phals. They are my absolute FAVORITES.

I am a phal killer.

If grown right cats will bloom with every new growth.